Ok, i need major help/advice here... UTTER NEWB!!!

[Mr Ed]

Right, first thing's first... here's the gear im presently using:

- PRS Tremonti SE
- Yamaha FG-403MS

- Boss TU-2 Tuner
- Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer
- Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive
- ProCo Vintage Rat
- Boss CH-1 Super Chorus
- Boss BF-3 Flanger
- Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

- Marshall MG30DFX

Right! Previously when i have wanted to record something - i have to record it on my acoustic and straight onto my pc using my PC mic into my soundcard but this obviously wont work when i wanna record my electric. I am stuck.

I was eyeing up a Fostek MR-8 but it seems majorly over-priced considered its only 16bit.

I Can spend about £300ish before i have to start selling body organs or limbs to survive.

I am stuck. I have no clue what i need or what is best! Should i go digital? Should i get analog? If i do get analog, would i then also need a mixer? Would i be able to easily transfer to my PC?
I already have some time scheduled in this saturday to go speak to the dudes in my local Dawsons store and see what they have to offer moi.

This is a heartfelt plea for HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!

Thanks.

 

[Stealthtech]

Do you want a hardware recorder or PC ?
Can you not mic your guitar cabinet ?
If PC it will be digital.
If analog hardware it will be analog.
There are digital hardware recorders available.
If you want to transfer to PC I suggest go the PC route and cut the middleman.

 

[NYMorningstar]

Willburrrr...

Hey Mr. Ed, welcome to the BBS. I knew sooner or later I'd be talking to a horse, nay he says!

What you should buy totally depends upon what you want to do. You were a little short on your intentions so I'm going to guess you want to sound good and make recordings.

Best thing to do first is reserve alot of time and read the recording techniques, mixing/mastering and newbie forums here on this site. It will give you most of the info you need to make informed decisions.

Wouldn't it be nice to go to the music store and tell them what you need instead of depending on their judgement?

Most new homerecording artists start with a few mics, a mixer, nearfield monitors and a pc with lots of software. You need to be careful though because if you go at it full steam ahead you will outgrow your purchases real fast and have a junk pile of old gear in no time.

I'd consentrate on buying equipment to sound good first and read alot about recording it while you're working on that. You've got nothing to lose if you wait to purchase your recording equipment while you're learning. PC's and software get better and cheaper every day.

G/L with your project.

 

[Mr Ed]

I'm not looking for mega-high quality - just something to record from my amp so i can send tracks onto my PC, convert them to MP3s and send them.

 

[noisedude]

Welcome to the BBS, Mr Ed, I dunno which side of the Mersey you're on but I'm a Man Utd fan (stranded in Leeds) if that helps ....

This link is to a website that might help you out on the very basics of what you're going to need

You CAN make a reasonable recording on your computer with a standard soundcard, but I wouldn't if I was you!! Your recording is only as good as your weakest bit. For £300, give or take, I'd do this:

- M-Audio Audiophile soundcard
- A cheapish mic, sub-£100, loads of options, read up on the mic forum and the Mic FAQ here.
- A cheap mixer such as a Behringer UB series (DON'T get the MX ones), or preferably, a Yamaha MG10/2.
- Some reasonable headphones, such as the cheap Sennheiser ones (not the Behringer ones).

From Digital Village you can probably do this under budget. If you've got a Sound Control or an Academy of Sound in Liverpool, go there, but make sure they knock money off everything or it would've been cheaper online.

Hope that helps!

 

[Mr Ed]

Booooo!!! Red side of the Mersey here!!

Well, there's an Academy of Sound in Manchester, ill give them a look in on saturday but i was hoping for more of an 8-track type situation that i could then wire up to my pc and send the recorded tracks to my pc for converting to mp3 as opposed to actually recording direct to my pc.

We'll see though. And thanks for the warm welcome all.

 

[noisedude]

you're probably looking at summat second hand then, like a hard-disk recorder with mixer built in (i.e. a digital four/eight-track). they aren't cheap but you might be lucky on ebay or something like that. computer is def the cheapest way to go IMO, other than a 'retro' tape-based thingy. but the difference in quality and flexibility for the money is enormous.

listening to the sweden game now, let's hope your lad Gerrard stays fit for Portugal or we're sunk!

 

[SPINSTERWUN]

You would be better off going the PC route as opposed to the standalone alone 8-track recorder.

I doubt very seriously that you'll be able to purchase one for 300 pound.

You'll get more bang for the buck AND more options, if you go the PC based route.

Plus, you'll have less conversions.

Peace...

spin

 

[noisedude]

i like it when clever people agree with me

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

computer is def the cheapest way to go IMO

? I MUST be missing something here.

When I looked into PC recording I found that a decent soundcard alone would cost as much as what I eventually paid for my SIAB.
I'm guessing this is due to my need for lots of in/outs (a minimum of six).

So have I missed something or is PC only cheaper if you need one or two in/outs?

Sorry to hijack your thread Mr Ed but I guess it might be of interest to you anyway.

BTW Nik you stymie anyone on eBay recently?

Ha Ha only kidding mate.

 

[noisedude]

i haven't come across any all-in-one things for £160, which is what i paid for my Delta 44 card. the bitch can be the software, though with n-track that may be less of a problem now than when i got Cubase VST 5.

BTW - Nick - not gazumped anyone for a few days now ... that mic hasn't arrived though, lost in the post, the seller is looking to refund me but I want him to find the damn thing cos it was a steal!!

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Bummer about the mic. I've used eBay loads and never had a bad experience.

So how many ins/outs does the Delta 44 have? (4 in 4 out would make sense)? You see I'd want a minimum of six and ideally eight which from what I've seen means fairly big bucks.

Maybe I need to research a bit more but I was kind of scared away by some pretty pricey looking interfaces.

 

[noisedude]

yeah i get you, you'd have been looking at the 1010, right? The Delta 44 and 66 are both 4 analogue i/os. could you get away with a larger mixer down to just four channels?

the mic seller's been really nice, he dispatched before i'd even paid but the Royal Mail seems to have let us down on this occasion.

 

[Mr Ed]

i have a SOundblaster Audigy in my PC at the mo.

 

[NYMorningstar]

the mic seller's been really nice, he dispatched before i'd even paid but the Royal Mail seems to have let us down on this occasion.

I was doubting the sale before I read this. Now I'm convinced the dude ripped you. Seriously, why would anyone in their right mind mail off an ebay article before it was paid for?

 

[noisedude]

well ... i have wondered on and off, but he's offered to refund me so i'll just have to see. i'd rather have the mic than the money for what i paid! he has a 100% feedback record, so I had no reason to doubt him.

Mr Ed, you should probably have a better card if you're going to put your stuff on computer anyway ... the Soundblasters are fine for games but the converters aren't up to it if you want to get serious about recording.